Can opener



- March 19, 1946.

T. STARRETT CAN OPENER Filed April 7, 1945 Fig. 4

INVENTOR.

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Patented 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT time CAN OPENER. Theodore Starrett, San Francisco, Calif.

Application April .7, 1945, Serial No. 587,101 (Cl. 3016) '7 Claims.

hand held or wall mounted, both of which types remove the tops from the cans, and pivoted tong types, such as that disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,317,541, which are suitable for punching holes in the top of cans containing fruit juices or other liquids. The can opener of the present invention operates on the principle of the pivoted tong type, except that instead of merely punching a hole in the top of the container, it is adapted to remove completely the top of the can.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pivoted tong type can opener. A further object is to provide an improved can opener which is positive in cutting action. Another object is to provide a can opener of the hand held type in which the danger of injury to the operator by slipping is entirely obviated. Still further objects are to provide a can opener which is mechanically simple in operation, which is economical to construct and in which the cut ting edge is readily accessible for cleaning.

Additional objects, together with some of the advantages to be derived in utilizing a can opener constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof, taken together with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a can opener according to the invention and illustrat ing the same in position for use in opening a can. Figure 2 is a plan view of the can opener as shown in Figure l. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation through 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation through 5-4 of Figure 1 with part of the side of the can removed to show the operation of the cutting blade. Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation through 5-5 of Figure 2.

In the drawing, i represents .a conventional cylindrical can provided with a fiat top 3 which is rolled at its circumference with the top of the can wall to form sealing crimp 2. The can opener comprises a pair of L-shaped members 4 and 5, spaced apart by means of cross member 9 which is rigidly attached to each of members 4 and. 5. Rods l and I3 are rigidly mounted in members 4 and 5 and extend therebetween, as shown, Handle member 6 is bent around and rigidly secured to rod l, terminating forwardly and upwardly in a gripping element 8, the pur.- pose of which will be explained hereinafter. Handle member H is bent back upon itself and around rod 3, rivet 14 passing through handle I I and the doubledeback portion thereof, handle H further being pivotable around rod 13. Cutting blade l2 projects downwardly, being either formed as a part of, or rigidly attached to, the doubledback portion of handle I! and provided with a cutting edge at l8. Spring member [5 is attached at opposite ends thereof. at It and ll to handle members H and 6, respectively. Spring member 15 normally urges handle members 6 and l l apart from each other.

The can opener operates and is utilized in the following manner: With the handles in the Desi-i tion shown in Figure 1, gripping element 8 is placed against the lower edge of crimp 2 on the can. The leading edge of gripping element 8 is preferably arcuately shaped in order to fit the curvature of the can Wall. Cutting blade 12 is positioned immediately inside the periphery of crimp 2 and handle I l depressed, whereby cutting blade I2 is forced-through the top 3 of the can. Since cutting blade I2 is constructed to pass through the top of the can at an angle, as particularly shown in Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that a true'cutting, rather than punching, action takes place as cutting blade I2 is forced through the top of the can. Cutting blade I2 is also pref. erably arcuately shaped in order to permit uni form cutting of the top of the can immediately adjacent to the inner periphery of crimp 2.

When a complete out has been made, handle it is released, whereupon spring I5 urges handle ll upwardly and simultaneously causes cutting blade l2 to return to the position shown in Figure l. The can opener is then moved around the periph. ery of the top of the can a distance equal to the width of cutting blade l2 and the cutting opera tion repeated. This sequence of operations is repeated until the entire periphery of the top of the can has been cut.

Particular advantages ascribed to the can opener of the present invention are the follow ing; A smooth, clean out immediately adjacent to the outer periphery of the top of the canv is obtained, thus obviating inwardl projecting rag ed edges which are both dangerous and pre. vent facile removal of the entire contents of th can. The small annular section of the top of the can remaining attached to the sealing crimp after the cutting operation is turned downwardly b the cutting blade during the cutting operation, as is the cut periphery of the can top.

Cross member 9, in addition to serving as a structural support of the can opener, also eliminates the tendency for the cut edge of the can top to follow the cutting blade as it moves upwardly after making a cut. The positioning of the pivot point at the foremost end of the handle on which the cutting blade is mounted provides maximum leverage, whereby the cutting blade is readily forced through the top of the can.

In the event that the can opener is to be utilized primarily for opening rectangular cans rather than the more commonly utilized cylindrical cans, it will be appreciated that the gripping element and cutting blade may be formed planar rather than arcuate in order to provide the desired cut close to the sealing crimp.

The can opener previously described and illustrated in the drawing may also, of course, be utilized for square or rectangular-shaped cans, although in such cases a somewhat scalloped out results.

Additional advantages, as well as other obvious mechanical modifications of the present can opener falling within the spirit and scope of the principles set forth in the present specification and appended claims, will be apparent to those skilled in the present art. r

I claim:

1. In a can opener, the combination comprising a pair of side members rigidly spaced apart,

upper and lower handle elements extending rearwardly from said side members, said lower handle element being rigidly mounted between said side members, said upper handle element being pivotally mounted between said side members, a can gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members, and a cutting blade rigidl mounted on said upper handle element and extending downwardly therefrom.

2. In a can opener, the combination comprising a pair of side members rigidly spaced apart, upper and lower handle elements extending rearwardly from said side members, said lowerhandle element being rigidly mounted between said side members, said upper handle element being pivotally mounted between said side members, a can gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members, and a cutting blade rigidly mounted on said upper handle element rearwardly from the mounting of said upper handle element between said side members and extending downwardly therefrom.

3. In a can opener, the combination comprising a, pair of side members rigidly spaced apart, upper and lower handle elements extending rearwardly from said side members, said lower handle element being rigidly mounted between said side members, said upper handle element being pivotally mounted between said side members, a can gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members, a, cutting blade rigidl mounted on said upper handle element rearwardly from the mounting of said upper handle element between said side members and extending downwardly therefrom,

handle element and rearwardly with respect to said cross member, a lower handle element rigidly mounted between said side members, and a gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members.

5. In a can opener, the combination comprising a pair of generally L-shaped side members, a cross member rigidly attached to and spacing apart said side members, an upper handle element extending rearwardly from said side members and pivotally mounted therebetween, an arcuate cutting blade'rigidly attached to said handle element and terminating downwardly from said handle element and rearwardly with respect to said cross member, a lower handle element rigidly mounted between said side members, and an arcuate gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members.

6. In a can opener, the combination comprising, a pair of generally L-shaped side members, a cross member rigidly attached to and spacing apart said side members, a lower handle element extending rearwardly from and rigidly mounted between said side members, an arcuate can gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members, an upper handle element extending rearwardly from and pivotally mounted between said side members, and an arcuate cutting blade rigidly attached to said upper handle element and terminating downwardly with respect to said upper handle element, rearwardly with respect to said cross member and forwardly with respect to said can gripping element.

7. In a can opener, the combination comprising a pair of generally L-shaped side members, a cross member rigidly attached to and spacing apart said side members, a lower handle element extending rearwardly from and rigidly mounted between said side members, an arcuate can gripping element rigidly mounted between said side members and terminating upwardly and forwardly with respect to the mounting of said lower handle element between said side members, an upper handle element extending rearwardly from and pivotally mounted between said side members forwardly with respect to said cross member, an arcuate cutting blade provided with an angular cutting edge rigidly attached to said upper handle element and terminating downwardly with respect to said upper handle element, rearwardly and immediately adjacent to said cross member and forwardly with respect to said can gripping element, and spring means normally urging said handle elements apart.

THEODORE STARRETT. 

